Pedro was over the moon. He received three, full ride scholarship offers. The king of them all was Doyle. On Coach Denning's advice, he told all the talent scouts that he was honored to be recognized, but would get back to them after careful consideration.

Coming down from the adrenaline high after a football battle was like crashing and burning. The fatigue in his bones, and the aches in his muscles begged for relief. He wished he ditched the after party at Fawcett's house and hung out with Augusta instead. She would have given him a massage. Whether it had a happy ending or not, he did not mind. 

"I'm gonna miss you bastards when we graduate," Henry slurred with tears in his eyes.

Henry's twin, DJ, rolled his eyes. "We can still keep in touch, bruh."

"Yeah. Send me a freakin' postcard jerks," Lucas added. 

They sat around the outdoor pool, drinking and eating junk food. No girlfriends or groupies. Just the guys honoring a post championship tradition. 

"Pedro can't wait to get outta here," Fawcett joked. He shoved a handful of corn chips in his mouth, and washed it down with a can of beer. 

Pedro chuckled. "Don't give up on mind reading. You'll cash out, bruh."

"How the heck am I supposed to survive till I make it? Sugar mummies want dudes like you," he retorted. 

Pedro laughed out loud at the diss, and everyone else joined in before he clapped back. "But your Aunt Clara says she prefers a package deal like DJ and Henry."

"Hell naw!" the twins replied shuddering with disgust.

Pedro dove into the pool and swam out of harm's way when Fawcett threw a beer can at him. The guys fell apart with laughter and Fawcett joined in. 

Rising from the water, Pedro braced himself on the edge of the pool. The scent of chlorine in his nostrils and the slight sting in his eyes made his eyes twitch. 

"Fight!" someone shouted from inside the house. 

It turned out to be two guys doing a drunken reenactment of a wrestling match. It was no surprise to Pedro that people had already started placing their bets. 

"Take it outside, jerks!" Fawcett shouted. 

As if obeying orders, they crashed through the glass sliding door with immediate effect. 

Pedro empathized with his friend over the party which had gone south. It was a shame, but Pedro decided to bounce before the cops arrived. 

***

Augusta in his jersey and micro shorts was a delight to see. She was kicking his butt in the video game they were playing in her sitting room. Her beauty was distracting him. 

"I told ya," she said with a cheeky grin and eyes trained on the television screen. "I said I'd kick your butt."

Pedro dropped his game pad. "Screw it. You won, I lost. Now come over here," he commanded.

Augusta walked over to him. "Do you want a massage?" she asked. 

"I thought you'd never ask."

Pedro groaned with delight when her fingers dug in his shoulders and back. The circular movement of her thumbs loosened the knots in his muscles. 

"Damn, babe. You're so good at this," he praised. 

Augusta laid a peck on his cheek, and continued. She told him about her STEM projects and her annoying, new music teacher. Pedro cherished how they were like pieces of a puzzle. Despite their differences, they fit together in perfect harmony. 

"Why have you got that dreamy look on your face?" Augusta enquired. "If you're this high on just my hands,  wait till I bring out the lavender oil. You're gonna be tripping," she joked. 

Pedro could not hold it in any longer. "I love you," he said. 

"What?"

"I said, I lo—"

Augusta shed tears of happiness. "I love you too, Pedro."

Before they could seal their confessions with a kiss. Pedro's phone blew up with several notification beeps. 

"What is happening on Speakerverse now?" Augusta huffed. 

Before he could put his phone on silent mode, Pedro scanned the screen. Hashtags about the phenomenal championship match, and him and Augusta making their relationship 'Jersey official' were trending. 

Then a lone message popped into his inbox, even though his account was set to private.

"That's strange. I blocked messages from strangers," Pedro said. 

A message was sent to Augusta's inbox too. She freaked out and deleted it without opening it. Just as Pedro was about to delete his message, a live video chat displayed on his screen. 

Augusta quivered. "Oh my goodness. What's happening?"  

Pedro put an arm around her shoulders. "It's probably some prankster. Relax."

"This is not time for games and jokes," a digitally altered voice replied. 

Pedro tried but failed to switch his phone off. Augusta also attempted to shut hers, but couldn't. He couldn't remove the battery, and his frustration had him considering a spoil and replace tactic.

"Before you smash your phone, you might want to see this," the robotic voice said. 

In an instant, the blurry image cleared. Nothing could prepare Pedro for what he saw. His mum and dad, bound with rope to separate chairs. They had duct tape plastered over their mouths, and their hands were tied behind their backs. 

"No, no, no. This can't be happening. Please don't do this. Let them go," Pedro begged tearfully. 

A person with a lion head mask, dressed in all black, combat clothes walked into view and stood behind Pedro's parents. 

Augusta tried to call 911 on her phone but the signal was down. There was a power outage and they were thrown into darkness. Pedro and Augusta begged and pleaded but it fell on deaf ears. 

The electronic voice made a callous command. "Choose."

"What!" Pedro gasped. How could he choose between them. His unbridled tears flowed faster. Augusta slipped her hand into his and gripped it. He sensed she was trying to comfort him in the face of imminent tragedy. 

"Pedro, please. Don't watch this," Augusta whispered. 

The masked man waved the gun between Pedro's mother and father. "Choose!" he ordered. 

"Why are you doing this?" Augusta wept. 

"I know what Pedro did last winter. Do you?"

"Pedro, what's he talking about?" Augusta murmured.

The masked man cackled. "Ten, nine, eight—"

Pedro squeezed his eyes shut as waves of regret and sorrow washed over him. It was not fair that the past could bring cataclysmic destruction upon the present.

"Seven, six—"

The mystery man was no stranger, but could it be who he suspected? Back from the grave? Augusta hugged Pedro tight and sobbed into his chest. She continued to ask him not to watch the live video, but he could not look away. His mind was blown with the realization that indeed it must be who he thought he was. The Speakerverse spotlight had given him good publicity but also brought his mortal enemy out of the shadows.

"Eenie meenie miney mo!"

The screen went blank before the countdown ended, Pedro slumped in Augusta's arms. As he lost consciousness, one deafening shot was fired.